Porphyria Educational
Services
Unsafe Drug List
ABOUT THIS UNSAFE DRUG
LISTING:
The pharmaceutical listing
contained herein has been devised without reference to language, societal, cultural, dietary, prescribing or dispensing conditions
[including those imposed by law], other than those of the United States, which might affect the information provided.
This list of pharmaceuticals
contains only the listing of drugs known to be UNSAFE or considered potentially to be UNSAFE for porphyrics.
Listing of the pharmaceuticals
on this site are due to the actions,precautions, side effects, or interactions of the given medication in relation to porphyria
patients, or the drug's action in regard to cytochrome P-450 and it's metabolism in the liver.
The listing of these
pharmaceuticals is not intended as medical advice for individual problems. It is provided only for porphyria patients making
an evaluation as to the risks and benefits of taking a particular drug.
The potential for various
drugs triggering attacks of acute porphyria is based primarily on clinical evidence. Some conclusions are based upon tests
with animals with experimental porphyria.
The information about
drugs contained in this database is general in nature and is intended for use as an educational aid. It also does not cover
all possible uses of a said medicine.
*Be reminded that a specific
drugs may work well for one porphyria patient and not for another usually due to other existing medical conditions of the
particular patient.
Porphyria patients and
their physicians must make their decisions on the use of medications appropriate to their own circumstances and in view of
other existing medical conditions.
The following unsafe
drug list must serve only as a guide since individual patient reactions to specific drug is complex and unpredictable especially
with other existing conditions both related and unrelated to the various porphyrias.
Because many new drugs
have not been tested, such drugs should be avoided. It often takes up to five years to realize the side effects of many new
drugs on the market. If it is critical that an untested drug be used, contact with a porphyria specialist should be made before
proceeding to use the drug in question.
Drugs marked with an
asterisk * have been documented as associated with acute attacks of porphyria.
* Indicates that there is evidence that the drug has induced porphyria.
*Acabamate (Meprobamate
– generic
[Acetaminophen] (*in large doses or long-term use)
Alcohol
Alcuronium
*Adalat ( Nifedipine)
*Aldomet
Alkylating agents
Alesse (birth control)
*Alphaxalone
Alprazolam (Benzo)
Alprazolam Intensol
Aluminum Preparations
*Alurate (Barbiturate)
Amaphen (Barbiturate)
Amern (Progestin)
Amidopyrine
Aminoglutethimide
Aminophylline
Amiodarone
*Amitriptyline
Amobarbital (Barbiturate)
[Amphetamines] [See individual
drugs as many are unsafe]
*Amylorbaritone (Verified
cause)
Amytal (Barbiturate)
Anabolic steroids
Anabolin
Anadrol
Anavar
Ancalixir (Barbiturate)
Androgens
Anolor-300 (barbiturate)
Anoquan (Barbiturate)
Antrocol (Belladonna/Barbiturate)
Anticonvulsants [ *Neurontin
is considered safe.]
Anti-epsilepsy Drugs
[Some]
Anti-depressants [Some]
Apo-Flurazepam (Benzo)
Apo - Lorazepam (Benzo)
*Apro - Meprobamate (Meprobamate)
*Apo-Metoclop (Metoclopramate)
Apo- Primidon
Apo-Sulfamethoxazole
(Sulfonamide)
Apo-Sufatrim (Sulfonamide)
Apo-Sulfatrin - DS (SUlfonamide)
Apo-Sulfisoxizole (Sulfa)
Aprobarital (Barbiturates)
Aralen (Chloroquine)
Arcet (Barbiturate)
Articaine (conflicting
data)
Ascomp w/ Codeine No.
3 (Barbiturate)
Atabrine (Quinacrine)
Ativan (Conflicting evidence)
(Benzo)
*Auranofin
*Aurothiomalate
Aygestin (Progestin)
Azaline (Sulfa)
Azapropazone
Azulfidine (Sulfa)
Azulfidine En-Tabs (Sulfa)
B-A-C w/ Codeine (Barbiturate)
Baclofen
Bactrim (Sulfonamide)
Bactrim DS (Sulfonamide)
Bancap (Barbiturate)
Barbita (Barbiturate)
*Barbiturates
Barbidonna (Barbiturate)
Barbidonna-2 (Barbiturate)
Barophen (Barbiturate)
*Bemegride
Belladenal -S (Barbiturate)
*Belladonna
Bellalphen (Barbiturate)
*Bellergal (Barbiturate)
*Benadryl (Sun intolerance)
Bendrofluazide
Benoxaprofen
Benzbromarone
Benzodiazepines
[Benzylthiouracil]AU
OH (conflicting evidence)
[Bepridil] (Calcium Channel
Blocker) (conflicting evidence)
Beta-Adrenergic Blocking
Agents & Thiazide Diuretics (Contain Sulfa)
Birth Control Pills
Brevicon (Birth control)
Bromocriptine
Bronkolixir (Contains
barbiturate)
Bucet (Contains Barbiturate)
Busodium (Contains Barbiturate)
*Buspirone (Warning for
liver disease)
*Buspar (Buspirone) (Warning
for liver disease)
Busulphan
Butabarbital (Barbiturate)
Butabital w/ Codeine
(Barbiturate)
Butabital (Barbiturate)
Butace (Barbiturate)
Butalan (Barbiturate
Butalgen (Barbiturate)
Butibel (Barbiturate)
Butisol (Barbiturate)
*Butylscopolamine (Evidence
of triggering attacks)
Cafergot = PB (Berbiturate/
Ergot)
*Calan (Verapamil/ Calcium
Channel Blocker) (Evidence of attacks)
Calcium Channel Blockers
Captopril
*Carbamazepine (Evidence
of attacks)
(This is a known Inducer
of Cyctochrome P-450)
*Carbromal AU OH (Evidence
of attacks)
Cardizem (Diltiazem)
*Carisoprodol (Known
to induce attacks
*Carmustine
Cefuroxime (Conflicting
evidence)
Celontin (Methosuximide)
Centrax (Benzo)
[Cephalosporins] (Conflicting
evidence)
[Cephalerin] (Conflicting
evidence)
[Cephradine] (Conflicting
evidence)
Chardonna (Barbiturate)
[Chlorambucil] (Conflicting
evidence)
*Chloral Hydrate
*Chloramphenicol (Known
inducer)
*Chlordiazepoxide (Benzo
(Known Inducer) )
*Chlornezanone (Benzo)
(Known Inducer
Chloroform
*Chloroquine (Known inducer)
*Chlorpropamide (Known
Inducer)
*Chloramphenicol
(This is an Inducer of
Cyctochrome P-450)
Chronovera (Verapamil
/ Calcium Channel Blocker)
Cimetidine
Cinnarizine
Clemastine
Clindex (Benzo)
Clinoxide (Benzo)
[Clobazam] (Conflicting
evidence)
[Clomipramine HCI] (Conflicting
evidence)
[Clonazepam] (Benzo)
(Conflicting evidence)
*Clopr (Metroclorpramide)
*Clorazepate (Known evidence)
Cocaine
[Colistin] (Conflicting
evidence)
Contraceptives -
Cordarine (Amadorone)
*Cotrim (Sulfonamide)
Cotrim DS (Sulfonamide)
Co-Trimoxazole (Sulfonamide)
Crinone (Progestin)
Cyclomen (Danazol)
Cyclophosphamide
Cycloserine
Cyclosporin
Cytoxin
Dalmane (Benzo)
Danazol
Danocrine (Danazol)
Donnazyme (Known to induce)
Dantrdene
Dantrium
*Dapsone
Daunorubicin
Delaxin (Methocarbamol)
Depakene (Valporic Acid)
AP
Depakote
